Starter adapter terminal



Sept. 10, 1946. 7H. M. LEWIS 2,407,611

STARTER ADAPTER TERMINAL Filed Aug. '13; 1945 7/7 3 I 6 Inventor Henry M Lew/'5 WWW HM Patented Sept. 10, 1946 STARTER ADAPTER TERMINAL Henry M. Lewis, Canton, Miss., assignor of fifty per cent to George B. Herring, Canton, Miss.

Application August 13, 1945, Serial No. 610,623

This invention relates to an adapter terminal constituting an attachment for a self-starter of an internal combustion engine of the type used upon automobiles and other motor vehicles. Certain types of motor vehicles have a self-starter system operated by depressing the gas pedal. Other types of motor vehicles have a starter system which is operated by means of a button on the dashboard which closes a magnetic switch generally known as a solenoid switch to complete a circuit and energize the starter. It sometimes happens that in a starter system having a circuit closed by pressure upon the gas pedal, the built'in terminal of the starter will become broken, and if necessary parts are not available, it is difficult to make necessary repairs. Therefore, it is one object of the invention to provide an attachment which may be applied to the built in terminal of a starter of the type actuated by pressure upon the gas pedal and then attach to this terminal a starter cable leading from a solenoid switch which is energized by a button upon the instrument board of the vehicle. It will thus be seen that a starter system including a built-in terminal actuated from the gas pedal may be very easily converted into a system wherein a solenoid switch is connected with a button upon the instrument board of the motor vehicle and the vehicle immediately rendered operative.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment which includes in its construction a casing adapted to be secured to a starter over a built-in terminal and a terminal post carried by the casing in such position that it will bear against the built-in terminal, the post proiecting outwardly from the casing so that a starter cable leading from a solenoid switch may be connected to it.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment which is very simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and capabl of being easily and quickly installed when necessary to convert a starter actuated by a gas pedal into a starter actuated by a button upon the instrument board.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved adapter terminal.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken through the adapter terminal along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the adapter terminal.

Figure 5 is a view looking at one end thereof.

1 Claim. (Cl. 173-324) Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the adapter terminal applied for use.

This adapter terminal constitutes an attachment which is to. be applied to a self-starter, such a self-starter being indicated in general by the numeral l in Figure 6, and includes a built-in knob which is liable to become broken or Worn out and thus render a self-starter of the type energized by pressure upon the gas pedal inoperative. This device has a casing 2 which is formed of sheet metal and provided at opposite sides with extensions or tongues 3 formed with openings 4 through which fasteners are passed in order to firmly secure the casing in place upon the self-starter l over and about the built in knob of the self-starter. This knob has not been shown in the drawing, as it is a portion of a self-starter of conventional formation.

A cable 6 leading from a solenoid switch i is to be connected with the attachment so that when a push button 8 on the instrument board 9 is pressed upon, a circuit will be closed from the battery [0 to the self-starter. In order that the cable 6 may be connected with the attachment, there has been provided a copper terminal post or bolt l I which passe-S through an opening l2 formed in the top of the casing. A flat head I2 is formed at the lower end of the post or bolt II and close to this head is formed a squared shoulder I3 which passes through a square opening l4 formed in a copper plate or washer 15. Since the plate or washer I5 is square and fits snugly between side walls of the casing, it Will be prevented from turning, and since the bolt or post has a squared shoulder passing through a squared opening in this washer, the bolt will be prevented from turning. A liner it formed of insulating material fits within the casing against the top and side and end walls thereof, as shown in Figure 3, and serves very effectively to prevent contact of the copper washer with the casing and formation of a short circuit. After the bolt has been passed upwardly Or outwardly through the opening in the top of the casing, a washer ll formed of insulation is applied about the bolt and a metal washer 18 then applied so that it rests upon the insulating washer H and protects the same from wear when a nut I9 is applied and tightened. A lock nut 2t is then applied to secure the nut l9 against loosening and also permit the cable 6 to be firmly held in conductive engagement with the copper post or bolt ll. When the attachment is applied to the selfstarter, the head at the inner or lower end of the 55 post I l bears against the built in knob of the selfstarter and since the solenoid switch 1 is connected with the post by the cable 6 and with the battery It], pressure upon the push button switch 8 will close the circuit through the self-starter and cause operation of the self-starter. It will thus be seen that by use of this attachment, a self-starter of the type energized by pressure upon the gas pedal and having its built in knob broken or worn out may be very easily rendered operative as a starter actuated by pressure upon a push button switch.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawing. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

What is claimed is:

A terminal adapter for a self-starter comprising a casing having tongues extending therefrom and adapted to be secured to a starter and dispose the casing in enclosing relation to a built in knob of the starter, a liner of insulating material fitting snugly in said casing against the top and walls thereof, a threaded post of conductive material passing through an opening in the top of said casing and having a head at its inner end for engaging the knob of the starter, a washer of conductive material fitting about said post between its head and a confronting portion of said liner, said washer having snug fit within the easing to prevent rotation of the washer and said post having a squared shoulder adjacent its head passing through a squared opening in the washer to prevent rotation of the post, a washer of insulating material disposed about said post and bearing against the outer surface of the top of the casing, a wear-resisting Washer fitting about said post and against the outer insulating washer, a nut screwed upon said post and bearing against the wear-resisting Washer and firmly holding the post in place when tightened, and a second nut screwed upon said post and constituting a lock nut for the first nut and serving as means for securing a conductor wire to the post.

HENRY M. LEWIS. 

